The present invention relates generally to a combination dump and spreader apparatus which, when mounted onto a vehicle chassis, provides for selective dumping and spreading of material from the apparatus, advantageously granular material such as sand, salt and the like, onto surfaces such as roadways.
Many types of vehicles are available with an apparatus mounted thereon which provide for both the dumping and spreading of material; such as sand, salt, gravel, asphalt and the like, onto a surface. One type of apparatus which provides this dual functionality is commonly referred to as a combination body. Combination bodies are so named because they provide, in combination, both dumping and spreading functions. Examples of combination bodies are provided by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,400,974 and 5,772,389.
In general, combination bodies are pivotally mounted onto the chassis of a vehicle, typically a truck chassis. Although the bodies can be mounted so as to pivot in one or more directions, the most common mounting arrangement provides a hinge mechanism on the rear of the body and a hydraulic cylinder on the front of the body, wherein movement of the cylinder causes the body to pivot about the rear hinge mechanism. This pivoting movement provides the bodies with the ability to dump material from the rear of the bodies.
Conventional combination bodies further include a conveyor system that transports material residing within the body out of the body and into one or more spreaders mounted on the exterior of the vehicle. Such conveyor systems typically include a longitudinal endless conveyor located within the body that transports the material from the front to the rear of the body or, alternatively, from the rear to the front of the body. The former situation typically results in a deposit of the material into a conventional spreader mounted on the rear of the vehicle. In the latter situation, however, the material is transported out of the front of the body, through a gate, and onto another part of the conveyor systemxe2x80x94a cross-conveyor, mounted on the chassis, and located adjacent the front of the body. The cross-conveyor in turn transports the material laterally to the sides of the vehicle, and deposits the material into conventional side-mounted spreaders. When a cross-conveyor is included, the body is typically elevated relative to the cross-conveyor, and thus the chassis, so the material falls downward onto the cross-conveyor, this providing for the complete transfer of material from the body to the cross-conveyor.
The endless conveyor is typically driven by a permanently mounted reversible motor located at either the front of the body, or alternatively by two motors mounted at both the front and rear of the body. An example of the latter arrangement is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,974.
Conventional combination bodies also include a tailgate that covers the rear of the body. As the tailgate is pivotally-mounted at the upper corners of the body, the tailgate can pivot into an open position when it is desired to utilize the dumping functionality of the body. Certain tailgates are also pivotally-mounted at the lower corners of the bodies, allowing the tailgate to be lowered to assist in cleaning and rear loading.
The tailgates of those conventional bodies further include at least one opening therethrough, with a second opening often provided in the front of the body. The openings provide a means by which the material, upon transport by the endless conveyor, can be expelled from the front and the rear of the body. When spreading is desired, one of both of the openings can be selectively opened or closed by operation of a feed gate mounted so as to cover the opening. The feed gate further provides a means for metering the flow of material through the opening, and into the cross-conveyor or rear-mounted spreader. Upon being expelled from the body through the tailgate opening, the material is directed into the rear spreader at least in part by a cover affixed to the tailgate.
Various cover designs have been utilized in combination bodies. One common type extends forward, into the body itself, and is designed to collapse when the tailgate is lowered. This type of cover, however, has heretofore only been used in bodies wherein the conveyor resides completely within the confines of the body. Another type of cover extends rearwardly from and is affixed to the tailgate. This cover, utilized in bodies wherein the endless conveyor extends rearward of the tailgate, is located above and adjacent to the tailgate opening, and is permanently affixed in this position.
While existing combination dump and spreader bodies provide many desirable features and advantages, there remain certain problems with these combination bodies. For example, and as mentioned previously, one type of combination body includes an endless conveyor that extends beyond the tailgate. When such an extended endless conveyor is utilized, any rearwardly-extending cover that is affixed to the tailgate interferes with and precludes the lowering of a tailgate that is pivotally-mounted at the lower corners of the body. This lack of pivot capability along the lower edge of the tailgate of these bodies interferes with rear loading and clean-out of the body. While the forward-extending cover allows the tailgate to be lowered, its design is complex, and its forward-extending position does not adequately address the material flow issues presented by an endless conveyor that extends rearward of the tailgate.
In addition, the inclusion of a complex conveyor assembly that includes both an endless conveyor and a cross-conveyor typically requires the body to be mounted higher on the chassis as compared to dump bodies without a cross-conveyor. While this mounting arrangement provides for desired gravity feed of material from the endless conveyor onto the cross-conveyor, this arrangement also provides an the vehicle with a relatively high center of gravity when compared to dump bodies with the same capacity but without a cross-conveyor. Vehicles with a high center of gravity are not desirable because of the associated adverse effect on vehicle handling.
Another issue with conventional bodies is that there exists no flexibility in adapting the conveyor drive mechanism to address differences in customer needs, either during production or after delivery.
In view of the foregoing, there exists various needs in the art. One such need is for a combination body which provides both the functionality of a cross-conveyor and a relatively low center of gravity without unduly compromising the material holding volume. A further need exists for a simple means by which conventional rear loading and cleaning of a combination body can be undertaken when the body includes an endless conveyor that protrudes beyond the tailgate and a rearwardly-extending cover. An additional need is for a combination body that provides for ready adaptation of the conveyor system to meet changing customer requirements, both in the manufacturing process and after delivery.
The present invention addresses the foregoing and other needs by providing a combination body for selectively dumping and spreading materials. In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle including a combination body for selectively dumping and spreading materials. The vehicle includes, at least, a chassis and a body pivotably secured to the chassis at a hinge. The body is comprised of front and rear ends having upper and lower edges and first and second side walls having lower edges. A hoist is provided which extends between the body and the chassis for pivoting the body about the hinge. A conveyor assembly is also included, the assembly comprising an endless conveyor disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the lower edges of the side walls and extending beyond the rear end of the body; a tailgate pivotably connected to the rear end of the body and having an opening therein to permit material to be transported therethrough by the endless conveyor, the tailgate being selectively pivotable with respect to the body about a lower axis disposed adjacent the lower edge of the tailgate or about an upper axis disposed adjacent the top edge of the tailgate; a cover assembly extending rearwardly from the tailgate which is pivotably attached to the tailgate at a pivot axis, wherein the cover assembly rotates about the pivot axis upon contact with the conveyor assembly when the tailgate pivots about the lower axis; and a spreader cooperating with the conveyor assembly for spreading the material.
In another aspect of the present invention, a combination body is provided with a conveyor assembly that comprises a cross-conveyor located adjacent the front end of the aforesaid body having an upper outer surface that extends along a cross-axis and an endless conveyor having an upper surface disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the bottom edges of the side walls. In this aspect, the upper surface of the endless conveyor is located at substantially the same level as or lower than the upper outer surface of the cross-conveyor.
A further aspect of the present invention provides a combination body with a conveyor assembly comprising an endless conveyor disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the bottom edge of each side wall, the endless conveyor comprising an endless carrier entrained around front and rear sprockets, and at least three positions which provide for the removable mounting of at least one motor in any of those positions, wherein the at least one motor, when so mounted, is drivingly connected to the sprockets.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a combination body having two side walls, wherein at least one of the side walls comprises upper and lower
surfaces. In this aspect, the upper surface is planar and oriented in a substantially vertical position and the lower portion is planar and extends upwardly from the bottom edge of the side wall toward the upper surface at an angle of from about 10 degrees to about 50 degrees from horizontal.
The foregoing and other aims, objectives, and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when reviewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.